JLOTS Pier for Gaza

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JLOTS - Temporary
Pier for Gaza Aid

The United States is using its Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) assets to establish a sea-borne method of delivering food and other types of assistance to the residents of the Gaza Strip.

JLOTS. The Department of Defense has a unique capability provided by the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy that is organized, trained, and equipped to conduct joint ship-to-shore operations where fixed port facilities are inadequate or unavailable. JLOTS establishes a temporary offshore maritime pier that allows for shipping vessels to transfer cargo to smaller vessels (called logistics support vessels or LSVs) to transport and offload cargo to a temporary causeway for delivery onshore. The causeway will likely be about 1,800 feet (500 meters) long that has two travel lanes.

Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS)

Image: Department of Defense, March 2024. Click here for a larger image.

JLOTS Units. The U.S. Army Seventh Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) out of Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia has been tasked with supporting the operation. Over 1,000 U.S. service members will be engaged in the project. It will likely take up to 60 days to make it operational; ready as of early or mid-May. On March 12, 2024, four additional U.S. Army vessels departed Virginia to support the sea-based humanitarian effort. 1.

The 7th Transportation Brigade is part of the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, XVIII Airborne Corps. The U.S. Army Vessel (USAV) General Frank S. Besson (LSV-1) from the 7th Transportation Brigade is en route to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea carrying some of the equipment needed to establish a temporary pier to deliver the humanitarian supplies.

LSV-1, U.S. Army Vessel (USAV), General Frank S. Besson
LSV-1 General Frank S. Bessons (DoD photo)

Operational Capability. The JLOTS operation was recently conducted during Exercise Talisman Sabre. This operation will be conducted by Central Command (CENTCOM).

Security. The U.S. will coordinate with Israel for security of the operation. At no time, according to U.S. officials (as of March 10, 2024), will there be a requirement for U.S. 'boots on the ground'.

Distribution of Aid. The U.S. and other nations will coordinate with the United Nations and other NGOs to handle the aid distribution in Gaza. The floating pier may have the ability to provide up to 2,000,000 meals a day.

And Some Questions . . .

There are some skeptics about this plan that raise interesting questions. Why not ship the humanitarian aid to the Ashdod pier (Google Maps) located roughly 30 kilometers north of Gaza in Israel and then truck the aid across the border into northern Gaza?

News Articles

March 24, 2024, "As China prepares to invade Taiwan, US force are about to combat-test a vital weapon", Telegraph.

March 13, 2024, "The Army's floating pier in Gaza is a preview of Indo-Pacific tactics", Task & Purpose.

March 9, 2024, "U.S. Army Vessel Departs CONUS", CENTCOM Twitter. A vessel carrying equipment to set up a temporary pier for the delivery of humanitarian supplies is enroute to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

March 9, 2024, "How the US military is scrambling to build a floating dock for urgently needed aid to Gaza", Associated Press. The Army's 7th Transportation Brigade and other units are enroute to the Mediterranean Sea.

March 8, 2024, "DOD to Construct Pier to Deliver Humanitarian Aid to Gaza", DOD News. The temporary pier is expected to deliver up to 2,000,000 humanitarian aid meals per day.

March 8, 2024, "U.S., Europe announce maritime humanitarian corridor for Gaza", The Washington Post. (subscription)

March 8, 2024, "How the U.S. Military will use a floating pier to deliver Gaza aid", The Washington Post. (subscription)